Let's start off with Ginger first... Ginger had an anal gland abscess that burst while at the shelter... They shaved her butt, but didn't treat... We took her to the vet's office immediately and got it treated (or as much as could be done now, versus what could have been done then)...

Accordingly, Ginger (or Gingerbread as I've been calling her) has -- or will have -- a 'rippled butt' with the scaring once it all heals... This will require monthly trips to the groomers if you don't (or aren't willing to) express the anal glands and trim the hairs around her rear end... Many long-haired dogs have this occur if the owners don't stay on top of it - it comes with the territory for the awesome coats hide it pretty well...

Our vet believes Ginger is 3-4 years old... And she is 8 pounds, 10 ounces right now... She's almost completely weaned her litter already, feeding them only twice a day...

Now for the pups... Our vet believes they are 5-6 weeks but to be safe, we're going with the 5 week mark... So they won't be 8 weeks until July 20th, then need to be spayed before they can be adopted... I'm posting new photos of them in each of the blogs today!

Monday, June 29, 2009

Coco got a lovely home with a fellow female Terrier named "Buffy", lots of human family members and friends who visit frequently... She had begun to come out of her shell, thanks to the lovely work of one of our devoted and endearing foster moms... Her foster mom was sad to see her go {sad face} but happy to know she got a great home with lots of good things to happen to her in the future!

Elvis & Priscilla (to be called 'Gidget' by her new mom) went today with Ginger and her litter to see our favorite vet (Dr. K. at Valley Vets), and the two of them along with Ginger's puppies, were MAJOR hits... Now that everyone has had their first series of shots and the two litters are only 2 weeks apart in age, they reside together in the same HUGE Xpen...

So they were pretty comfortable riding together in the large kennel to the vets office as well... It's the kind of kennel that opens from the top as well as from the front, so once I 'popped the top' Elvis and Priscilla kept trying to make these leaps for life out of the kennel!... It was like trying to stop random jack-in-the-boxes from popping up without warning!

Priscilla has developed into a somewhat sedate nice young lady, but Elvis? He's ALL Chihuahua... not a clue as to just how tiny he is right now nor that he'll never be a BIG dog - just his attitude is the persona of the typical Chihuahua - 5 lbs of weight with a 100 lbs of attitude as I seem to say constantly! :)

With both, their tails are up and curled over, ears are up and just the very ends are still are folding over... Won't be long now and they'll be that upright radar ear that everyone is accustomed to when seeing a Chihuahua... Both of these guys will be VERY little though... I doubt if they'll get more than 5-6 pounds as adults...

They've learned what the pitty pad is for (finally!)... Prior to this, it was something for them to chew up and pull out of the pitty pad holder... ... For the most part, after eating and drinking, they'll both walk over to it and do their business... They have not yet been outside and in grass - just to the vets office and at adoptions where we required everyone to use hand sanitizer prior to touching them...

They should be spayed and neutered next week... They are just now hitting 2 pounds (barely), but they are 2 pounds of nitro when they get going!... LOL... On occasion, I have to go over and tell them "NO" because they can get a bit rough (at least in my opinion) and aggression is a big NO-NO in my home... Elvis looks up immediately when I say his name or "NO" now... But he's still SO full of himself!!

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Annie has found her furever home with a delightful lady... They spent time together last Saturday at adoptions, and then I got a call on Monday saying that she could not get Annie out of her heart and head... Annie has that effect upon you and it was with a somewhat saddened heart that I took her last night to her new furever home...

Annie is going to have a GREAT home and FANTASTIC furever life with her new mom and I'm so happy for both of them!... Annie certainly deserves it after what she's been through and she can now be a dog without having to be a producer of puppies any longer!... She can run, sleep, jump, play, cuddle and hand out kisses for the rest of her life... This is what rescue is all about - placing great dogs with awesome people and slowing down the killing fields of the unwanted and discarded animal companions.Congratulations to both her new mom and Annie!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Chloe is making steady progress and she goes to adoptions every week... This past Saturday someone she doesn't know at all was able to give her treats by hand... This is progress and while she's not getting adopted, going to adoptions is causing her to trust people more and more (and not just here at the house)...

Chloe comes in EVERY time I call her... She always comes to me and definitely knows her name... While this doesn't seem like much to some people, coming when called requires trust that many dogs do not have once they've been backyard breeders and/or gone through the shelter system...

Boots (now named Pookie) also hit the big time on Saturday... She has a lovely home with a Border Collie named Daphne, a very nice young lady who reminded me very much of my own Desiree and an awesome furever mom as well... Who could ask for anything more?... Especially after the horrible past she's gone through?

Her new furever mom is also a Cesar fan, so Pookie is in excellent and loving hands now!

Well, the three Chi-musketeers are now split up... Max (now Diesel) has been adopted close by, but Mouser (now named Kahuna) has been adopted a distance away... Chloe's still here with me, and although she spent Sunday and most of yesterday looking for her two best buds, dogs are so situational she'll spring back quick enough...

Kahuna has a new furever mom that loves to go to the beach, hiking, etc. so he will be a 'get-about' Chihuahua with lots of new and different adventures to share and talk about! We're so happy to also see that Kahuna got a great new home and as you can see, both are as happy as clams below! Congrats, Kahuna and Mom!

Lots of things have been going on and I've been remiss about getting everything blogged... Apologizing here in advance!

Max (now renamed Diesel by his new furever family) has been adopted, but his efforts to teach canine manners to Elvis and Priscilla (now named Gidget by her new mom) was especially appreciated...

Initially I hadn't intended for this to happen, but whenever the orphans would get a new Nylabone to chew on, Max would hop their Xpen to enjoy them as well (smile)... The orphans were initially surprised, then discovered they could chase him around their Xpen with abandon with retaliation, so it was also great fun to watch all three of them interact...

I have only one other dog that I've trusted to this degree when introducing to new fosters or puppies (and that's Frito)... Max was consistently sweet and loving 110% of the time, so he will ALWAYS remain in a special place in my heart!... He certainly helped introduce the orphans to what is like being around other bigger (and adult) dogs, so I'm thankful he was one of my fosters while the orphans were here. Yep, Max is one heck of a dog and we're VERY happy he's gotten himself such an awesome new furever home and family!... Congratulations, Max (now Diesel)!!!!

And Gidget has gotten herself a lovely furever home as well and will be moving on once she's spayed the last week of June in time to be a 4th of July baby!... On Sunday, I moved them into a larger Xpen more in the traffic flow around here and they've handled the transition well...

They can see the other dogs and interact with them, but from behind the safety of an Xpen... Both pups seem to enjoy the 'mock charges' at the older dogs, then scurry back to the protection of their doggie bed... Five to eight weeks is the time puppies develop their fears, so if they're not introduced to strange dogs, unfamiliar sounds and smells, etc. they develop lifelong fears that you can't always overcome...

Both are very good at going over now to the pitty pad and that pleases me... Although they have plenty of toys, they prefer to play with each other (common in this situation) and while we used to hear cries only when they were hungry, now it is more common to hear yips and yaps, growls, etc... Elvis doesn't seem to appreciate that Gidget likes to dogpile on him, so on occasion I'll run to their Xpen when hearing a squeal to find Elvis trying to wiggle out from underneath Gidget... (smile)... Guess laying on top of her brother is more comforting than on that cushy doggie bed!

Gidget has developed into an UC Chi (undercovers) and frequently when she tries to get underneath their blankee, she'll find Elvis is stopping her because he's sitting on it... She'll give him a growl and if he doesn't move (or move fast enough for her liking), she'll follow it up with a sisterly nip! Gidget is definitely smart, but Elvis is exceptionally loving (like most male and female Chis are)...

They've decided they don't care for the kibble at all, but prefer the baby food chicken... This week I'll start them on chicken and rice to see if I can completely transition them off of the puppy formula... Despite what they like, their puppy teeth are now coming in (and trust me, they're like mini razors! OUCH)... Overall, they're doing very well and I still look at them, amazed I was able to keep them alive when they arrived here so young and so tiny (less than 5 ounces!)...

Max has been renamed "Diesel" by his new furever family and has a Chi bud to pal around with named "Blackjack"... He'll also share their lives with numerous other animals, including a ferret... He also couldn't have gotten a better home! If nothing else, he'll keep Blackjack stepping!

We'll miss Max (and especially my daughter, Desiree, for he slept with her at night)... Max was so gentle, he was able to 'pup sit' not only Nacho when he was smaller, but also the new orphans, Elvis and Priscilla... Especially in the case of the orphans, Max's efforts to teach canine manners was especially appreciated... Initially I hadn't intended for this to happen, but whenever the orphans would get a new Nylabone to chew on, Max would hop their Xpen to enjoy them as well (smile)... The orphans were initially surprised, then discovered they could chase him around their Xpen with abandon, so it was also great fun to watch all three of them interact...

I have only one other dog that I've trusted to this degree when introducing to new fosters or puppies (and that's Frito)... Max was consistently sweet and loving 110% of the time, so he will ALWAYS remain in a special place in my heart!

Yep, Max is one heck of a dog and we're VERY happy he's gotten himself such an awesome new furever home and family!... Congratulations, Max (now Diesel)!!!!

Daisy had her 1st day in 8 months away from her foster family and did WAY BETTER than we had expected! An wonderful man who met Daisy at adoptions a couple of weeks ago decided to doggy-sit her yesterday in order to get to know Daisy better as well as assist us in gauging her progress and how she would potentially adjust to a new furever home.

After we left his house in the morning, as we expected Daisy sat by the front door and cried for a bit (which is very common for dogs that have been with us for so long). After going on a long walk with him, Daisy calmed down and began to sniff and check out the new environment.

To my surprise, she did not try to hide or run away from him, rather she jumped on the couch next to him to share his space and get some pets. She was happy to take treats from the getgo, which was a clear sign that she was pretty comfortable with the new environment as dogs who are experiencing extreme fear or anxiety refuse to eat (even the best of treats!).

This day confirms to us that Daisy is in fact ready to move on to a quiet and peaceful furever home. She has come so incredibly far and we are SOOO proud of her. In a slow and loving environment, this little girl will continue to grow and evolve and will be a wonderful companion to her new owner.

After Daisy's new adventure, she came home and was happy to get a greenie to enjoy (before dinner at that!). Among her fellow pack members, here she is chewing away on her treat. She sure was a happy (and tired) girl who should be very proud of herself! Life isn't as scary as she thought after all!

Daisy will definitely need an adjustment period to her new home as many dogs do who have had an abusive past, but she is ready to take on the challenge and just needs some lovin' to do it!

Monday, June 22, 2009

I'm VERY good at not letting these fosters climb into my heart... I know for every one that I allow myself fall in love with and want to keep, that's one other Chihuahua dying in a shelter that we can't rescue... I care tremendously for each and every dog TLC has saved and/or I am fostering, but I just don't allow myself to fall in love with them...

Two dogs recently managed to find their way into my heart - Boots and Minnie...

Minnie especially so because of her need to be held... You can't hold a dog and have them look up at you with those endearing eyes and not fall in love... And while I didn't realize it at the time I first saw Minnie at the shelter, a few days after wards, I noticed that she has that same 'look' my dear sweet Rogaine had... If you journey to his R.I.P. page here, and scroll down to the photo of him resting his head on my hand, you can see what I'm talking about... She would have made a great pet therapy dog - not only in size, but in personality for she loved everyone she came in contact with...

Accordingly, while I kept bringing her to adoptions and officially she was up for adoption, I had already decided that if people weren't interested in Minnie because of her shortened jaw, or the right person did not come along and also fall in love with her to the depth I had, I would outright adopt her myself...

I know, I know... Everyone loves puppies, but I'm the kind of soul that care much more passionately about the dogs that get left behind in the shelter for whatever reason - usually the sick, the seniors, the great dogs scared out of their minds because of the situation they've fallen into... Everyone can easily love a puppy, but it takes a VERY special person to love a dog that's not perfect or has medical issues...

And Minnie didn't deal well with the shelter experience she underwent, plus she was picked up as a stray... I'm sure being on busy streets with cars flying by rattled her more than most... Someone must have loved and held her a lot in her past, for Minnie wanted nothing more than to be up in your lap and held... My husband and I both spent a lot of time with Minnie in our arms or her asleep on one of our laps...

While she didn't scare easily as a rule, she didn't care to be away from someone she knew and loved... Especially if left in a strange or scary place... I tested out this theory several times and realized that her anxiety issues were directly connected to this...

But as long as she was being held, cuddled or was in eyesight of someone she loved, she was in Heaven... And you just can't help but to be touched in your heart when you run across a dog that wants you to that degree!

We'd had several people look at Minnie and quite a few emails about her... She just wasn't the size and temperament of a dog that would do well in a household with toddlers and small children running about...

I almost felt I wanted to tell people that they'd do better to buy their children life size stuffed animals that would move and bark rather than trying to adopt a petite sized dog like Minnie (just being honest here - I mean what I say and say what I mean)... People were attracted to her small size and adorable expression, but you want your children to be kids - run, holler, play, etc. and a small dog like Minnie is apt to be hurt eventually because she wanted to be with humans... And she'd run and try to engage with any human, but her desire to be picked up and cuddled would have been her downfall with some of the families interested in Minnie...

Last Saturday a couple came into adoptions and I operate a LOT on instinct... I really don't care how much money someone has or the kind of home they have, the kind of car they drive, etc... I operate probably 90% from the gut in regards to people and TLC dogs... I watch how they interact with the dogs and that's what I operate from... I liked the woman from the start and got the sense she would baby and cuddle Minnie just like Minnie had gotten used to here...

When the couple left to go to other rescues and look at more dogs, I felt an inwardly sigh of relief for I felt sure they'd find a more 'perfect dog' somewhere else... Minnie will always snore and sound 'wet' because of her shortened lower jaw... Her kisses will always be somewhat rough for her tongue doesn't completely fit back inside that mouth of hers (similar to how BeeGee's tongue is)...

To me, these things are adorable and endearing... But I know how the public views issues like this in a dog, so I had felt that Minnie would eventually end up being a permanent member of our household... (and had hoped it would be so!... smile)

When the couple returned, I have to admit my heart did sink a little bit, but it is really what is best for the dog and not me... And if Minnie had the chance to go to a great furever home and have someone's attention 100% of the time instead of sharing it with other dogs, that is what is better for Minnie and her life... My husband did the home check and called back to say it had been approved, so with a heavy but happy heart I started the paperwork progress for the adoption... I did my best to put a smile on my face, but I'd be lying to you all if I didn't admit I was sad in my heart...

Rescue is a bittersweet thing... You have to be extremely passionate about what you do in order to do it well... My husband has always said when the dogs reach a point that they've gone from great to awesome, they always move onto furever homes... But that is the essence of being a good rescuer... TLC may not adopt a ton of dogs, but each and every one is a diamond in the rough when we find them... And they develop into a multi-carat jewel by the time they are ready to be adopted by a loving person or family...

I couldn't have asked for a better home for Minnie... She is going to be loved and cherished, provided for and will have everything I had hoped for her to have... I will miss wearing my cuddle sack as I go about my chores, and that teeny tiny small spot in our bed where she slept is just SO vacant now... But I feel good about this adoption and am so happy a family was able to look beyond the physical shortcomings into Minnie's heart and abundance of love!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Minnie is going to be one of those 'special needs' cases we come across in rescue that requires a very special person to adopt... Although she is very loving and friendly, she has medical issues going on... Our belief at TLC is that the difference between a shelter and rescue dog is that because these dogs live with us when we foster them, we can give a potential adopter all the information we've learned and observed... And armed with that, educated decisions can be make that create furever placements...

Let's get started... At the visit with the vets this week, Minnie has a heart murmur (1/6 - basically a faint murmur that she really had to listen for... I have a senior right now that has a 3/6 and it has never caused him any problems)...

The severe overbite is really one of the worst health issues she has going on... It causes her mouth to not have enough room for her tongue (which causes that to slip out and hang a lot), but moreso, she's got a 'slurrepy' wet respiration sound... We're treating that with a third (and different) antibotic as well as an OTC med... In layman's terms, she's got major sinus problems going on, so if you know someone who has this, you can appreciate the discomfort not only to them, but to those around them as well...

Accordingly, Minnie snores, coughs, etc... And it sounds 'drippy'... Can't explain it any better than that... She's prone to respiratory infections as a result of the misformed lower jaw...

The other major health issue is incontinence... Initially we believed the incontinence was caused by stress and anxiety... She STRONGLY dislikes being inside a crate in a moving vehicle, but she loves riding in the car (without a crate)...

She's 'hand-intensive' so I've had a lot of opportunities to observe her when she's not stressed out, and the incontinence also occurs when she is asleep... I've been using a cuddle sack with Minnie, so not only does this help in her feeling secure, it also keeps from having unexpected wet spots...

Every dog can find the perfect furever home if given enough time, so that's what we intend to do with Minnie... She'll have a furever home with us as a foster until the right person comes along who will love Minnie despite all of her health issues...

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Boots has been keeping her tail up whenever she's out and about, but you would never know this dog is here... She never barks and never intrusive, but were she a human, you might say she's suffering from either PTSD or depression... I discussed this with my vet and she says both conditions are possible with dogs...

I mean - she's there physically with all the other dogs and fosters... She eats well, is potty trained and goes out the doggie door when she needs to, but she doesn't rush the door or alert on strange noises... At night, I make sure she's laying aside of my thigh on the couch and she gets extra cuddles and pats, but she's not demanding them... I give them, she accepts them...

This is just not normal Chihuahua behavior...

Today after tending to the yard, I sat down on the chaise lounge to take a break... Without calling her, she came over and jumped up, then sat between my legs and also surveyed my work... (smile)... Without warning, she reached up and intentionally gave me a kiss... This is a first for her...

I've spent the last two days reading about PTSD in dogs - this is one blog's content --- here is another. While I guess I've seen dogs with PTSD before, it has always been an outwardly showing of the sympthoms versus an inwardly sign... Does that make sense? Boots is definitely not aggressive but she's not connected like most canines are either... It's like my husband says - the lights are on, but no one's home...

The best we can do for now is to just give her time to get over this... sigh...

So far, I've seen no chewing going on... Could it be because she's got the company of other dogs and this keeps her busy?... Dunno...

She's been exceptionally sweet with the puppies, and has spent her days playing with the other dogs, sunbathing on the futon platform out back, napping in the Chihuahua penthouse and relaxing at night on the couch when we watch TV... I caught her digging once in one of my flower pots, reprimanded her, she came to me, rolled over on her back in submission and hasn't done it again... But she's more of a Terrier than anything else, so digging is 2nd nature to Terriers...

Bella is readily coming when called, cuddles up and loves on you without abandon and despite being alert and active, is not engaging in barking or anything more extreme than numerous games of 'catch me if you can' with the other dogs...

Oscar's been buddied up with Nacho, but he's been out 'running with the big dawgs' for the past two days... He is already showing great canine manners - knows how to eat properly with older dogs, runs and plays but not dominant or aggressive towards the others, etc. Wherever Nacho is, I can generally find Oscar... (smile)...

At night, Oscar and Nacho sleep together in the Xpen and during my afternoon nap, they sleep in a crate aside of my bed (for their own safety as well as my peace of mind), but otherwise they are both out and about...

While Oscar will readily go outside and potty, I can't say I would call him housetrained yet... He will go through the doggie door and out, but I am taking him out frequently also... Once I get to the grass and say "potty, potty" he usually squats and whiddles... So far, no accidents in the house however...

I snapped these photos today of Oscar and Nacho playing out back, as well as cuddled up in a doggie bed together... It's hard to see where one pup begins and the other ends, but Oscar is wearing a blue soft velvet crossover harness if that helps!

Coco doesn't show well at adoptions because of her fearful nature... I wish I could figure out how to work the video camera and show everyone what I see on a daily basis with her... She'd get adopted in a heart beat, for she's that sweet, loving, quiet and a fantastic dog once she knows you!

Sometimes I think she wants to write her own blog because whenever I leave my computer, she jumps up and sits down on my chair, waiting for me to come back! Wherever I am, she follows me and has special spots around the house that she prefers... Never demanding, she's content to just be close...

This is a SWEET dog that can't do enough to please you... She curls in and just loves to be petted and stroked... Say her name and her ears go back immediately while the tail starts wagging nonstop... If I could harness the energy in that tail, I'd never have to dust my house again!

And she's such a truly noble looking dog... Striking, she's a pleasure to have around and I can always count on getting as much or more TLC from her as I hand out... While she's not very friendly towards men, Gherry (one of the TLC volunteers) was able to pet her and socialize last Saturday, so there is a lot of hope she'll eventually overcome her fear of men as well... Sweet, sweet little soul she is and certainly deserves her own furever home (though I will be sad to see her move on)...

I snapped this picture of Coco and Frito as they were sunbathing this morning outside.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

As they say, "You've come a LONG way, Baby!"... That's how I feel about Elvis and Priscilla... Arriving here as 10 day old to 2 week orphans, I wasn't so sure I could keep them alive, so seeing them celebrate their 6 week birthday was pretty rewarding today... And they got their first series of puppy shots, so it's a milestone for them as well...

We already have an adoption application and home check pending for Priscilla... You're more than welcomed to submit a backup application in the event that fails (download off of the website and fax to us), but as puppies are in such hot demand if you are interested in adopting Elvis, you really should make the decision and get your application in... They will get spayed or neutered at the end of June...

Oscar's beginnings could be the basis for a mystery novel. He's listed as a Norwich Terrier by the shelter, but we don't believe that's the case. His ear length will never allow them to be upright and erect, so we believe he's more of a Border Terrier or a Yorkie mix for they are born black at birth and grow more tan as they mature.

If you read AKC's standard for Yorkies and then their Border Terrier standard, plus look at puppy photos of both of these breeds on the Internet, he could be a mix of the two - or he could just be a poorly breed Yorkie.

He is adorable however and it looks like his tail was docked at birth. In places, his coat almost looks like a grizzle, but the coat is exceptionally soft and smooth versus 'wire-haired'. Bottom line is that we're not sure what breed or combination he is - and if he indeed is a Yorkie mix, he won't look like this when he's older.

The shelter also lists him as "of age" which means 4 months or older (and therefore able to be inoculated for rabies) but a visit to our vets today puts his age more at 9-10 weeks old. However, Oscar is neutered - that's for sure! (smile)... so we'll start from there.

Oscar was in a litter for three originally, adopted from the shelter and then returned to them with the reason he did not get along with their dog. Upon observation, it is our guess someone did an impulse adoption, loved and wanted a puppy, but then was not prepared for the responsibilities of owning one. We suspect Oscar was taken from his mother too early and spent the first night crying at his foster mom's home. He's been coupled up with Nacho, TLC's mascot (4 months) and it has made all the difference in the world. Oscar is no longer crying and howling non-stop.

Accordingly, we feel an adoptive home would need another dog who can provide companionship to Oscar, as well as someone who understands this is a VERY young puppy who will cry, poop and all of the additional attributes puppies usually have, including 'puppy breath'. And no, he's not potty trained yet and weighs about 1.5 pounds.

Oscar has had puppy shots, but not the rabies yet. He has an interim license for the County of Ventura which can be upgraded to a full license (1-year) upon receipt of the proof of rabies. Our vet has recommended that he NOT be vaccinated for rabies until July 15 at the earliest. Accordingly, if adopted before that time, rabies vaccination will be the responsibility of the new owner. Oscar is micro-chipped however and this registration will be transferred to the new owner at adoption.

If you are interested in adopting Oscar, please download an adoption application from the website and fax it to 805-578-2604. You can see Oscar in person at adoptions on Saturday from noon to 3PM at the PETCO located in Moorpark between Office Depot and Target on New Los Angeles Avenue.

I took these photos of Oscar yesterday evening:

I can just imagine the caption for this one... "How far down did you say it was????"

Monday, June 15, 2009

This weekend we moved Elvis & Priscilla out of their very small fenced-in area and into an Xpen within an Xpen (more or less)... It will give them more room, allow me to put a pitty pad holder in with them and (hopefully) get them started on potty training... Additionally, it is more in the 'trafficked' part of the house, so they'll see the other dogs through the Xpen walls and become adjusted to that aspect of their life which is so crucial - the ability to interact with other dogs and learn canine manners they'll observe from the others... With two Xpens, everyone can see each other and not that my dogs would harm the orphans, but this keeps them safe and protected for my dogs can't get close enough to touch, just smell and watch, etc.

Elvis woke up briefly when he was transported into the new digs, but quickly fell back asleep ("Don't bother me - I'm having a great dream here....") but Priscilla opened up her eyes, realized the scenery had changed and was immediately interested in what was going on around her...

They've now started exploring and going beyond a blankee (although last night they didn't sleep in the new doggie bed, but dragged the blankee onto the floor and slept there)... I've started putting in toys for them to play with, but so far they're not too interested in those - just mealtimes spark their interest right now...

The tails are now up all the time and started that traditional curl over... They get into small spats of rough-housing amongst themselves and it is kinda cute to hear their little growls and noises as they engage in playing and mock charges...

They are both still REALLY small, although they are eating like little piglets all the time! Not sure how big their parents were, but we plan on weighing them again today, and then comparing that to Bella's litter's weights we tracked as they grew...

First series of puppy shots this week... Hard to believe they are already six weeks old and we've had them for a month now... Where did the time go?

Minnie didn't do so well inside a kennel going to adoptions on Saturday... She widdled all over herself, her T-shirt, harness and even leash... Once there, I had to strip her down from head to toe, get her a complete new rig and another T-shirt... Then we all did a large amount of cuddling and holding, trying to get her through her first adoption event...

Minnie is extremely 'hand-intensive'... She wants to be held and has a lot of insecurities going on inside her... She could have bad memories or experiences of a kennel... Dunno... We'll just have to work through it, for every dog needs to have the ability to spend time in crate or kennel when needed... We live in wildfire country and if you have to evacuate, you won't be accepted at a shelter without your dog's ability to withstand a crate or kennel for some portion of the day or night...

Sideline here...

A few years ago, we pulled up all the carpeting here at the house because of my husband's horrible allergies to dust and a multitude of other allergy issues... We laid Solarium down throughout the house and it really helped his allergies almost overnight... And I am from the 'old school' and am probably borderline compulsive with the state of my floors... You just can't get them clean enough for my tastes when you use a mop... But with my back, I have to make accommodations - I use a mechanic's stool (also called a creeper seat) which is on wheels... And I 'crab' around the house when I'm washing my floors...

I'm telling you all this information not to bore you, but to lay the framework for a funny thing Minnie did yesterday... She's not seen me wash the floors here yet, so the image of me riding around a foot off the floor on this mechanic's stool just seemed to intrigue her to no end!... She watched me for about two rooms - she wanted up on my lap but with all the bending over, it just wasn't practical... LOL...

She also wasn't pleased with what I wash my floors with (1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water), but she still kept sneezing when she'd get too strong of a whiff of it... Didn't stop her from sticking her nose over the edge of the wash bucket (also on wheels) to investigate... I've tried just about EVERYTHING (including products Armstrong makes) but nothing else cleans, disinfects and leaves that beautiful shine on the floors I love so much... My dogs are used to it now - they see the mechanic's stool and wash bucket come out - they head for a couch or chair until I'm done!

I had just turned back to continue my task yesterday afternoon when I felt something nudge me at the underside of my thigh... Minnie had decided to crawl inside the mechanic's stool (normally where they put their tools) and ride along with me!... It was as close as she could get to sitting on my lap and yet? She didn't have to step on wet floors, nor did she keep sneezing from that perspective where she sat...

I called out to my husband to take a photo of it, but the darned basketball game was on, so you know how that goes! ... If she does it again next week, I'll be prepared! LOL... I look down between my legs and there are those chocolate doe eyes looking back up at me!... She stayed there throughout a few more rooms and I'd finished the floors...

I know people say dogs don't get PTSD, but I don't believe that - I feel that traumatic events DO affect them and Boots is almost in a 'shut down' mode right now... Here and there I see glimmers of her potential personality when her life is not being turned upside down, but she's going to need time to get beyond what she has encountered in her life recently...

Yesterday a rescue friend and I went to a couple of the shelters and we found a Chi with her head in the corner at the back end of a kennel run, rear facing outwards and in the final stages of shutdown mode... She was an owner surrender when the owners lost their home... As I sat in the acquaintance room, my thoughts kept heading back to Boots - 'for there but the Grace of God go I' thoughts kept going through my head... Had Boots gone to a shelter and spent the same amount of time, Boots could very well have turned into that same 'emotionally non-descript' version... Had I an available foster spot, I would have pulled that Chihuahua and given her the time and TLC to come back out of that protective shell she'd built as a survival technique... She's labeled as a 'BH' which means when the shelter runs out of space, she'll be killed to make room for more highly adoptive dogs... sigh...

Unfortunately, they are killing Chihuahuas by the hour in the various shelters and we can only save so many... In Boots' case, she was one of the few lucky ones and we at TLC will give her all the time she needs to readjust and get past the traumatic past she's had...

Bella was returned to us yesterday... I spent yesterday trying to find the same behaviors that caused her adoption family to give her up (but to no avail so far)... A few weeks ago after a stay in a boarding kennel, she came back and began to wet in the house... I'm still not clear if she had a urinary tract infection or not, but this behavior stopped... Last week she got into a cat box and three days later, she had a seizure and fell over... I suspect it might be from the clumping litter she ingested, but their vet didn't have any definitive reason for the seizure...

However, I guess the primary reason for her return was chewing... Locked in a bathroom for three hours or more, she chewed a spot in the wall and with small children around, the adoptive mom had to be on her toes all the time to make sure Bella didn't get ahold of any small toys...

Bella wasn't necessarily a 'chewer' while she was my foster, but I kept her supplied with those flavored NylaBones... Soft dog toys (the tiny stuffed ones) she'd shred up and I got into the habit of making sure they were not left around for her to find, but because she did love to play with toys, play fetch, etc. I changed the kinds of toys I put in the toy box for her to have... So I really didn't have a 'chewing problem' with Bella here...

However, there is one big difference... Bella was adopted into a home without other dogs and this is a multi-dog household here... There is always a dog interested in playing a game of 'catch me if you can' or just to interact and hang out with...

Although we are really sorry to see Bella returned, there is a positive side of this particular chapter in her life... Bella's adoptive home had two young girls (so we know she loves children) and they also had a cat (which I do not) - two areas I could not verify if she'd be OK with in her life... And Bella also gained a little bit of weight which she needed...

Bella was overly excited when she saw me yesterday and in my mind, I'd never changed her name to 'Lucy' so when I called her with my usual "Bella, Bella, BELLLLL-LA" she immediately responded and must have remembered me... She and I spent a lot of time together, worrying about her ability to nurse those pups, then the transition between my bottle feeding them as a supplemental resource and finally, Bella teaching them canine manners but not being required to nurse them... She and I developed some level of understanding throughout it all and was the only foster I've ever had that I'd gotten too emotionally involved in... I love them all to a certain level and treat every foster like I do my own dogs, but there's a short garden wall I don't allow myself to step over inside my heart... In Bella's case, I'd peered enough over that wall that it did bother me when she was placed...

People always ask me, "Doesn't it hurt too much when you have to let them go?"... And normally it does not... I know they are fosters when they arrive here, it is not their day to die and I know they will eventually be moving on... Bella has always been a bigger dog than one I personally favor, and she's a lot more Terrier than she is Chihuahua (despite the classification the shelter gave her originally)... So I didn't feel like I would get too attached to her from the start - she was just too different from the kind of dogs I fall in love with and get attached to... I myself was surprised at the depth of emotion I felt when we placed her and made a quick departure to forgo any long, lingering goodbyes...

Yesterday it was almost as if she'd never left... She reacquainted herself with the dogs she already knew - her tail went into overdrive when she smelled Nacho and I believe she recognized him as her son, but Nacho didn't respond in kind... I suspect Nacho doesn't have a clue Bella is his mother... There are two fosters here now that she didn't know - one she started playing with immediately - the other has been a snarfing partner, but I stepped down on that right away...

Bella found her favorite spot on the futon mattress outside where the dogs lay on and sunbath... Then spent most of the afternoon running around and playing with her canine buds... I'm truly at a loss as how to explain the chewing that went on once she was adopted, but because of this, we are making the restriction that if she is readopted into another home, she cannot be the only dog...

Maybe the lack of interaction with other dogs allowed her to become bored and then to deal with the boredom, she found something she could chew on and/or caper... My husband's a great example of this - his entire life has been one that once he got bored, he'd caper and get into trouble... Dunno, but we spent the afternoon trying to discover the reason for her radical difference in behaviors between our home and her newly adoptive home - that's the only thing we could come up with... That and I don't have any children running around here...

So for now, I'm keeping a close eye on her... And trying to observe or discover why her adoption failed... Bella is an active dog and not a couch potato (although she always loved sitting down with us in the evenings and relaxing), and she's still so young and puppy-like, she is just not a suitable dog for someone that has a sedate home, doesn't like to do walks or doesn't have things and activities to engage in - or doesn't have another dog for her to play with...

It's hard on the dogs when they go back to the shelters after a failed adoption... Shelters do the best they can but it is such a fluid environment so unless the dog is returned back to the shelter the very next day, the dogs have difficulty dealing with the numerous transitions... In our case, although Bella was gone for a month and was exposed to new environment components, she adapted immediately to what she knew here --- old smells, old canine buds, etc.

Some dogs are chronic rehomers and IMHO, it is more inhumane to keep trying to rehome them... The more the dogs pop back and forth, in and out of shelters, the worst their behaviors become (almost as in protest)... This is not Bella's case... She just needs the right home for her and her personality, the right amount of activities and surroundings to keep her engaged, along with a new adoptive parent that understands chewing will become an issue if she's left alone, and/or becomes bored, etc.

I started crate training immediately again yesterday and she took to it... For her safety and my own peace of mind, it's a better plan of action until I am 100% certain she doesn't start chewing here as well... Right now, Bella's plan was to step right back into the hierachy of the pack, but some have moved on while others have joined... So last night she slept with my daughter and Riley (who doesn't "play" when it is time to sleep and cuddle)... Riley will quickly step down on Bella if she steps out of line or tries to take over his territory... So we shall see how things go and I'll update this blog with the new journey as we embark upon it...

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Yesterday was Daisy's 2nd time at adoptions and she did so much better than last week! We do adoptions each Saturday from 12-3 at Petco in Moorpark and last week was our first week. Last week she was timid and didn't want to take any treats (even hot dogs!) as there were many people looking and petting her which was out of her comfort zone. She handled it even though she was nervous and after the first hour was getting a bit more comfortable with the whole thing. About half way through the day she was walking around on her leash, sniffing around and checking out the scene.

This week - much improved! For the 1st 30 minutes or so we had Daisy in a crate for her to adjust to the situation, watch the other dogs being pet and sniff away at all the people passing by. A wonderful young couple came in and asked to see Daisy and she began to come out of her shell with them pretty readily. The young woman held her as Daisy sat on her lap within a few minutes and took in the pets and attention. I decided to try some treats with her and she was all over them which told me that she was not as scared and nervous as last week. I gave the young woman treats wondering Daisy would take them from a "stranger" and not only did she take them, she got up on her hing legs to get them! This little girl is too cute and is getting LOTS of attention at adoptions from many people. The socialization she gets from all the visitors play a huge role in her advancement. Thanks to all who come by and visit with Daisy as you are all helping her strengthen emotionally to be able to handle a transition to a furever home!

Saturday, June 13, 2009

The shelter listed Minnie as a Chihuahua on their paperwork but were unsure if she was a Chi or a MinPin. Frankly, we're not quite sure which breed she is, for she doesn't have the personality of either! (smile) She's not 'Chi-clannish' like most Chihuahuas are and she's not got that 'on-the-go-nonstop' behavior that most MinPins have.

Minnie is 3.5 years old and about 3.5 pounds as well. Minnie is listed as a 'special needs' dog on the pet search engines for two reasons: 1) she has a shortened lower jaw that causes her (on occasion) to have a tongue that hangs out a bit (referred to commonly as a 'lazy tongue' but doesn't affect her ability to eat or drink) and 2) she's apparently spend a LOT of time in her previous owner's lap and right now is not willing to give up that habit.

If you are sitting down, you can expect Minnie to be at your knee, insistent at being picked up and held. Right now we're using a cuddle sack as a tool to lessen this need of being held all the time. However, Minnie is EXCEPTIONAL hand-friendly because of this need (desire? habit?) and if you're looking for this type of frequent interaction with a family companion, Minnie could be exactly what you're interested in! She definitely is a MAJOR cuddler!

She is getting along with other small dogs ~ we're not sure she even realizes she's also a dog in fact. Minnie was obviously treated as someone's canine 'baby' so our guess is that she realizes they all walk on four feet whereas humans walk on two -- but that could be the extent of her connecting with other dogs.

Not a barker, but Minnie will cry to be picked up. Although Minnie does knows what a doggie door is all about, she's not consistent enough at going outside to be listed as house-trained by our criteria. This could change with time --- she was picked up as a stray on a VERY busy street and the long shelter experience could have been traumatic enough for her to forget any potty training she had. At the shelter Minnie was also on an extensive requiem of antibiotics which can cause dogs to be incontinent temporarily. Antibiotics were given for Minnie has this 'slurpy-like' sound to her breathing, but the shelter vet now believes it comes from the misshapen mouth and lower jaw, as opposed to being an illness (similar to issues humans have with sinus problems). She also snores if this is an issue with you.

Minnie is spayed, up-to-date on all her shots including rabies, micro-chipped and licensed for Ventura County. Because of her petite size, she's not a candidate for a family with small children or toddlers.

I don't want to discourage anyone from adopting Minnie, but it is our TLC policy to be as upfront about all behavior or health issues as possible.

The first night here, Minnie readily welcomed my husband home - a complete stranger to her - and did her absolute best to crawl up into his lap and arms immediately. I'm not so sure she wouldn't do this anyone and everyone as a matter of fact. Minnie is much more intuned to humans than she is other dogs. I would guess dogs bigger than her would provide stress triggers as well.

BTW, that 'teardrop' on her forehead? It could be an old scar although the hair is grown in on it, but I think it just adds to her deliciousness! And it doesn't take much for her to fall asleep in your arms or lap - this is her primo spot of choice and once there, she's set!

Friday, June 12, 2009

When we pulled Sunshine from one of the local shelters, she was considered 'snarfy' or 'nippy'... She's still not happy if she gets crowded too much by other dogs, but I wanted to post this photo of her with my husband... Right after I snapped the photo, she laid her head back on his shoulder and went to sleep...

So much for being nippy or snarfy, huh? (smile)

At night, she cuddles up and prefers to sleep under the covers with her head on my shoulder or touching me somewhere... She couldn't be a sweeter little pup if she wanted to be!

The orphans have made the transition from bottle feeding and formula only to eating/drinking out of a bowl and chicken, goats milk, formula and supplemental vitamins. In addition, they've become VERY active now... Rough-housing, growling, playing with each other at all times of the day (and night... LOL).

We've dropped the fleece curtain around their Xpen so that they become more aware of what is going on around them, especially the other dogs... While the dogs are interested in what the orphans are getting in that food dish, I'm not so sure the orphans are that aware (yet) of other dogs or what that means to them.

Not to disinterest anyone in adopting the orphans, but because they don't have a mom to teach them the proper canine manners and behaviors a puppy commonly gets from their moms, these two little ones could be a challenge to a new adopting furever home... They could be difficult to potty train, not have bite inhibition, etc. We will attempt to introduce them to other dogs that are known for being good with puppies, but there is no guarantees that in the short amount of time we'll have them as fosters we can get this accomplished. Just FYI.

"Puppies are sweet, but not always a treat" as the saying goes. They're now almost 5 weeks old and are entering the learning, fearful stage (5-8 weeks)... Because of their small petite size, we are strictly adhering to the locality rule TLC has (within 50 miles of Simi Valley and/or an hour's driving distance max)... We're all volunteers and otherwise, we can't do the home check nor provide the usual support after adoption otherwise. Thanks for your understanding in this matter!

So much so I also put it up on the Cafepress store with the caption of 'Well behaved Chihuahuas rarely make history' - not that either one is a badly behaved Chihuahua, but I loved the quote and the picture, plus they are almost like 'salt and pepper' when sitting together - both with the same sided flop ear...

Despite the look of the photo, Annie's not a large dog (less than 6 pounds), but I intentionally took a close-up when I saw them sitting together in the Chihuahua penthouse...

Boots has a BAD case of SA going on right now... Guess it is to be expected with what she's gone through recently... It will be some time before she's ready to be adopted...

Annie on the other hand, is ready to go... She's beyond the shelter experience and is SO involved in whatever is going on around here... A few months ago, one of my fosters decided they liked chewing on the bottom of a wicker hamper my husband has had for EONS , but because it was 'his' I felt bad, but just hadn't gotten around to reweaving it... This week I put it on the kitchen table and tackled it, but it took several hours to strip down the damaged parts, save what I could of the wicker and fill in the empty spots...

Everyone had a free-for-all chasing the polyester cording that seemed to go for miles and miles (at least my arms felt like that!)... Some taking an end and heading out onto the patio as far as the length would go! (Nacho, Chloe, etc.)... But Annie? She sat right there on the arm of the recliner couch and watched me diligently the entire time... Almost as is she wanted to learn how to weave herself! (smile)...

Either that, or she was inspecting my work!

Once I finished, she seemed satisfied, jumped down and went on outside to play with the other dogs... Guess I'd done good!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Boots is apparently one of the recent victims of the economy - she was found today by a cleaning crew who had been assigned to clean out a foreclosed home. It is unknown how long she has been in the empty house - the family moved out 2 to 3 weeks ago. Not knowing what to do, one of the cleaning crew took Boots to his vet (who also happens to be TLC's vet) and they called us right away.

Our vet believes Boots is between 2 and 3 years old, she's already been spayed and we got her caught up on her shots today (including rabies), had her micro-chipped and licensed for the County of Ventura. She could stand to gain a bit of weight, but this is a temporary situation.

We bathed her immediately (she took to having it done fairly well), fed her and she curled up in our lap for a long, LONG afternoon deep sleep! She's probably an "UC" Chi (under the covers), for she nuzzled herself under a bit before drifting off to sleep.

Boots gets along with other small dogs, is SUPER sweet and friendly with all the strangers she's ran across today. Boots is also not a barker, and apparently already knows what a doggie door is for, as she's has used it several times today.

On a personal note, this is the kind of stuff that drives me crazy... Many of the local rescues have taken in dogs from families that are losing or have lost their homes... Leaving a dog to die inside a foreclosed home is so darned inhumane!... (climbing down off my soapbox here)...

Monday, June 8, 2009

I feel like I should be singing that song from the Jeffersons' TV show... "Well, we're movin' on up... to the big time..."... smile...

This morning we tried combining several of the new lessons - lapping from a bowl, experiencing baby food chicken mixed in with the puppy formula and goats milk, not being held to nurse, etc...

Surprisingly, it actually went well... At four weeks, a dog mom would start to wean her pups and their milk teeth are coming in now, so it was time... But MESSY~!! Oh bother~!! Were they ever messy~!! Geezie, peezie~!!

Thankfully, I put down a blankee first that I could readily pick up afterwards, so it could have been much worse... As usual, Elvis was the first one there and willing to try something new, but Priscilla doesn't like to be left out of anything her brother is involved in... So she was right behind him as soon as she heard his lapping...

They are now doing that almost cooing sound of a full belly and drifting off to sleep...

Sunday, June 7, 2009

We had a lovely gal volunteer to foster and she took Mouser after adoptions yesterday. Mouser now has a 3-lb little female Chi to bud around with! He's learned so much with me and I know his new foster home is going to thoroughly enjoy him. Mouser has gotten unbelievable now at walking on his hind legs, doing basic dog obedience commands when asked, etc. He's come a very long way in a short amount of time and is still so very full of himself as a puppy... I think Max was looking for Mouser today (the two hang out all the time together), but they'll reconnect next week at adoptions (if one or the other isn't adopted in the meantime!).

We are always limited by the amount of dogs we can save by the number of foster homes we have. If you're considering fostering or volunteering with TLC, please see the website for further info! http://www.tinylovingcanines.org

Our three somewhat fearful dogs did real well at adoptions yesterday - Coco, Chloe and Sunshine. I'm VERY proud of all three of them - Coco and Chloe especially. They handled the whole experience very well - not just being in the crates, but all the people coming by, new volunteers picking them up and holding them, etc.

Despite none of the three were adopted, it was a very good opportunity to be socialized and learning to handle new experiences and strangers that won't hurt, harm or scare them. Every new experience handled with TLC and patience is one more step forward to getting back to what a dog should be - able to trust and love unconditionally.

Gizmo was adopted yesterday at adoptions and he was one very lucky little man - he got a great family with children to play with and a new mom that is going to love him to death! What a lucky little pup he is, especially coming from a rough beginning! He certainly was a hit at adoptions, running around inside the Xpen with Nacho!

Friday, June 5, 2009

We weighed Elvis and Priscilla... They're now 12 ounces so they've tripled their weight in ten days... They're real scooter butts now... Up and on their legs, they readily suckle from the puppy bottle without a second to lose! (smile)... And I'm starting to get at least a half a night's sleep now...

Once they're done eating, both have full, fat bellies and settle down for a few hours sleep...

Today we tried out baby food chicken and lapping instead of suckling... It was a new concept - Elvis jumped on it right away but Priscilla wasn't so sure she liked it all...

Priscilla still is staying dark black but Elvis is lighting up - he's got a full white chest but Priscilla has only one white toe on each back leg...

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Welcome to TLC!

A small rescue with the mission statement "to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home abandoned and neglected dogs, saving them from certain death in the local shelters." We work ONLY with small breeds and do it, one dog at a time. Visit our website to see the available dogs we have for adoption!